Liliana N. Berti-Mattera, Ph.D.
Adjunct Associate ProfessorMailing Address:
2103 Cornell Rd.
WRB 5121
Cleveland, OH 44106-7288
phone: (216) 368-4760
fax: (216) 368-0494
email: Liliana.Berti-Mattera@Case.edu
Biography
Dr. Liliana Berti-Mattera received her B.S. in Clinical Analysis at the School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry
at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina (1976), and continued on to earn an M.S. and Ph.D.
in Biochemistry. Her post-doctoral fellow was completed in 1985 in the Department of Biochemical
and Biophysical Sciences at the University of Houston (Texas), where she continued as Research Associate.
Dr. Berti-Mattera came to Case in 1991, starting out as an Instructor in the Division of Endocrinology
and Hypertension. Presently, she is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at Case's School
of Medicine.
Research
My current research program is aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms responsible for the
development of diabetic neuropathy, one of the most severe complications of diabetes mellitus. We
perform experiments in experimental animal models of the disease to correlate the degree of
sensory abnormalities, manifested by the presence of abnormal pain perception, with changes in basal
and agonist-mediated signaling pathways in peripheral nerves. Our studies have also focused on the role
of Schwann cells and their interaction with sensory neurons. In addition, we assess the efficacy of
different treatments on the abnormal pain perception and biochemical parameters in experimental diabetes,
that could identify novel targets for pharmacological intervention.